My Top 30 Anime: 20 – 11

My Top 30 Anime: 20 – 11

Top 10 – 1 [Coming Soon!]

Well, here it is, my top 20 – 11. These lists are constantly shifting, in fact, even after I had typed up most of the article, I ended up changing my mind on the placement on one of these anime. Trust me, if you ask me about this later, I might have a completely different opinion on what goes where, so once again, let me remind you that it’s only a lose estimate. Thanks for reading, and here we go!

20. Danganronpa

With the new seasons of Danganronpa, my love for the series only grows.

I’ve always liked Danganronpa. It’s made my top lists before. However, if there was still only the first season, I doubt it would have made this one. But when you add Danganronpa 3: Despair Side and Future Side, it takes it to the next level. It adds great characters, even ones I can directly relate to (I’m looking at you, Mitarai), and one of the most satisfying endings I’ve seen. With the new seasons, it brings this anime from just being a neat mystery to a well-developed, emotional franchise that I can’t help but love, pink blood and all.

19. Kekkai Sensen (Blood Blockade Battlefront)

This one needs a bit of context. You see, when I watched this, I had just started college. I had moved for the first time, was on my own for the first time, and was in a place where I knew absolutely no one for the first time. I was struggling with the loneliness of being a new place, so when I watched this, with a main character in the exact same situation, it hit me on a deeply emotional level. I remember watching the OP, reading the lyrics, thinking “That’s me! That’s exactly how I feel!” and then breaking down into tears. I mean, I could talk about how gorgeous the animation is, or how much I love Leo as a character, or how the soundtrack gives me so much nostalgia for when I was in a jazz band, but the real reason why it’s here is because that it was exactly what I needed in a time of emotional turmoil.

18. Nanatsu no Taizai (The Seven Deadly Sins)

When I was in elementary school, I loved fantasy books. I read almost any I could get my hands on, and while I appreciate darker, more realistic fantasy shows like Berserk and Arslan Senki, The Seven Deadly Sins just brings back the fun. It never fails to make me laugh. But that’s not to say it isn’t an emotional ride – the characters are so easy to get invested in, it just hurts to see when it all goes wrong. It has a perfect balance of humor and emotion, and is the perfect throwback to my childhood.

17. Aoharu x Kikanjuu (Aoharu x Machinegun)

My love for Yukimura alone is enough to make this anime a favorite.

These other anime may have a lot going for them, but this anime has something none of the others do: My husbando. Yukimura himself makes me love this anime so much. He’s so cute, yet is so well-developed and is such a strong character. But it’s not just him that makes me love this anime – the drama, the main characters, and the main antagonist, Midori, all add to this anime. When you include the personal love I’ve felt for the series after roleplaying it a couple times with a friend, there’s little stopping this anime from being a favorite.

16. Casshern Sins

This anime is really sad. In fact, I’d have to say it’s the anime with the most despair I’ve seen. That being said, it may be confusing as to why I have it so high on the list. You see, it’s not just full of despair, it’s also really beautiful. It’s an anime that really hits you and sticks with you. It’s hard to explain in words why I love it so much, so I suggest you try and experience it for yourself.

15. The Tatami Galaxy

Every college student should watch this anime at least once, if not multiple times. It’s the perfect anime for someone trying to find their path and figure out who they are with the perfect message: No matter what path you pick, as long as you’re putting yourself out there, you’ll be having more fun and high points than low ones. It’s similar to Kekkai Sensen in that it helped me in a personal way – it reassured me that, even if I can’t take every class I want to, at least I’m having fun doing what I’m doing, and that’s enough. Of course, the fantastic writing, the amazing characters (especially Ozu), and unique animation all deserve mention as well. Overall, I’d say it’s probably the best anime I’ve seen in a sheer quality sense, and I recommend it to absolutely everyone.

14. Zankyou no Terror (Terror in Resonance)

There are probably going to be some people that are upset that this made it above the legend that is Cowboy Bebop, and while Bebop’s amazing, Zankyou no Terror is a story that has stuck with me for years. Parts of my book is based off of it, I named one of my goldfish after Twelve, and its OP and ED have been making near the top of my lists ever since I saw it. It’s so beautiful I get chills and want to cry just thinking about it.

13. Eden of the East

Eden of the East is a fantastic anime with great sociopolitical commentary as well as a fascinating concept.

I’d argue that Eden of the East is the most important anime I’ve seen. While those are some pretty big words, I already have a plan to explain them in a future set of posts. Out of all anime I’ve seen, it has the most real and significant commentary on power distribution in society as well as the urgent feeling that should come with such important commentary. Even on a more basic level, the concept of starting a show with a boy who wakes up in front of the white house, naked, with no memories, but with a gun and a cell phone that holds seemingly limitless power. Doesn’t that sound absolutely fascinating? Eden of the East isn’t just important, but it’s also interesting at its core, and that’s why I love it so much.

12. Deadman Wonderland

Many people have a bone to pick with this anime due to its ending, or lack thereof. However, in my case, I’ve read the manga and therefore no longer have this problem. You know, despite the flaws that may or may not have, I have to give this anime a lot of credit. It manages to portray a truly, absolutely horrific situation with grit and realism. Yet, even then, it has the gal to have such an optimistic OP that declares “This world is so beautiful,” with zero hesitation. That juxtaposition is what makes Deadman Wonderland so great in my mind. Not to mention that the ED has been such a motivating and inspirational song in my life. With all that, I love this anime so much, even if others don’t as much.

11. Durarara!!

With an absolutely fantastic cast of characters, addicting music, and an overall sense of fun, Durarara!! deserves its spot at number 11.

One thing you may notice about my list is that I love complexity, and there are few anime that are as complex as Durarara!! It has such a massive cast, yet it manages to keep them all relevant, lovable, and interesting. It also as one of my favorite villains ever (Izaya Orihara) and my favorite female character (Celty Sturluson). The way it manages to weave chat conversations into the plot is fascinating and a detail I love. The music is great, almost addicting, and I listen to it far more than I probably should. When you get down to it, Durarara!! is just fun.